Underlying the test to China’s control of Hong Kong with pro-democracy protests over the past 10 days are economic tensions that have fueled social unease and concern over the city’s place within the nation.

Without the release valve of free elections to vent their frustration, demonstrators have taken their anger towards what they perceive as an unrepresentative government to the streets.

…There’s a perception that the rich mainland Chinese “are here to snap up property, leaving the Hong Kongers to fight for scraps,” said Dylan Loh, a research analyst studying Chinese politics and international relations at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.